On 6 November 2022, a ceremony for the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement on the transformation and development of Jilin Open University (Jilin OU), along with the official opening of the university, was held in Jilin Hotel, marking the official renaming of Jilin Radio and TV University (Jilin RTVU) as Jilin OU.

Cao Yuguang, vice chairman of the Political Consultative Conference of Jilin Province, Liu Xianghong, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Open University of China (OUC), and Zhan Gaofeng, deputy director of the Department of Education of Jilin Province and first-class inspector, attended the ceremony, which was presided over by Liu Jianqiao, secretary of the Party Committee of Jilin OU.

Cao Yuguang and Liu Xianghong jointly unveiled Jilin OU.

Zhan Gaofeng read out the Written Reply from Jilin Provincial People's Government on the Approval of the Renaming of Jilin RTVU as Jilin OU.

Wu Hongtao, president of Jilin OU, pointed out that the renaming of the university is only a change in the form. It is more important for the university to implement the transformation of its operational system. Jilin OU will take the initiative to integrate its development into Jilin’s talent development program, which is one of the province’s priority strategies. It will focus its efforts on implementing the guiding principles and important instructions General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward in his speech made during his inspection tour in Jilin, and thoroughly implement the spirit of the 5th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the 8th plenary session of the 11th Party Committee of Jilin province. It will follow the requirements of the OUC Comprehensive Reform Plan, compensate for its disadvantages through reform, seek progress while maintaining stability, make concerted efforts, prepare to shoulder its responsibility, and advance bravely towards the 14th Five Year Plan. He also noted that it is important for Jilin OU to fulfil a new mission to promote lifelong learning, remain committed to improving the efficiency of system governance, reach a new level in its education quality, take new steps in information construction, and realise a new pattern of degree and non-degree education. He believes that Jilin OU will certainly be able to take advantage of the new situation, work hard, build a first-class team, deliver top quality education, and create a leading Open University, and thus make new and greater contributions to Jilin’s socialist modernisation drive.

Liu Xianghong also stressed that renaming of the university is only a change in form and the more important change lies in its transformation. It is important that the university implement the requirement to “construct a high quality education system” proposed in the 5th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The university should actively adapt to the trends of digital, intelligent, lifelong, and integrated education development and seek a transformation from expansion to enhancement, from a focus on qualifications to one on knowledge, from providing degrees to enhancing skills, and from predominately online teaching to the integration of online and offline teaching. Liu Xianghong hopes that Jilin OU will, in accordance with the requirements of the Party Group of the Ministry of Education, make every effort to make Jilin OU into a major platform for lifelong and online education and a platform for flexible education and foreign cooperation. At the same time, it is expected to conform to the strategic deployment of the Party Committee and people’s government of Jilin province, focus on high-quality development, make innovations, keep forging ahead, and make more brilliant achievements.

Members of the leading group of Jilin OU, cadres at or above deputy department level(s), teachers at or above the level of associate professor, and representatives of faculty and staff attended the ceremony, while leaders and part of the faculty and staff of the OUC branches and county stations of the OUC system watched the unveiling ceremony online.

By Jilin OU